Push to Remove Ban on Birth Control

The Pope is feeling the push to lift his ban on birth control. After 50 Catholic organizations make the claim the ban is causing catastrophic effects.

Holding down teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease rates are why some want the ban lifted, but others say it won't help.

Some contend lifting the ban would prevent children who can't be cared for and would allow women more freedom of choice.

Claudia Stravato with Planned Parenthood says, "It also prevents them from having a career, it usually ends the education for the woman, and ends up that the tax payers are paying for those births. There is nothing positive, nothing practically positive about the popes rule."

Supporters say unplanned pregnancies will continue even with contraceptives.

And the argument that lifting the ban would reduce STD rates isn't valid either.

Dr. Faye Usala with the Amarillo Diocese says, "Providing artificial contraceptives to teenagers does not work. They still have very high rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease."

Stravato says it's hard to see sexually active teens who will not use contraceptives because of the ban.

"I said, if you are going to be sexually active, you really need to be on birth control. You shouldn't be sexually active at your age. But if you are going to be, and apparently you already are, then you need to use birth control. She said that violates my religious beliefs and I said, it doesn't violate your religious beliefs to have a baby at 15 when you are not married and can't care for it. And she said no ma'am it doesn't."

Doctor Usala says the ban will never be lifted..

And there are other options to control birth rates, like natural family planning that are supported by the church.

After controversial comments from President Donald Trump over the weekend, multiple teams in the NFL joined together, taking a knee and linking arms during the national anthem to show solidarity to remarks they saw as being divisive.

After controversial comments from President Donald Trump over the weekend, multiple teams in the NFL joined together, taking a knee and linking arms during the national anthem to show solidarity to remarks they saw as being divisive.